Coulson 'not hired' for Murdoch links

Then-opposition leader David Cameron asked Andy Coulson about phone hacking before he hired him as communications director in 2007, the Leveson inquiry into the media was told last night.

Mr Coulson, a former editor of the News of the World, had resigned from the paper a few months earlier after his royal editor and a private investigator were jailed for hacking the voicemails of officials at Buckingham Palace.

Mr Coulson has always denied knowing about hacking but said at the time he resigned to take responsibility for the fact that it had taken place on his watch.

Andy Coulson ... quit his job at Number 10 in January. Photo: AP

He told the inquiry, “I was able to repeat [to Mr Cameron] what I had said publicly, that I knew nothing about the Clive Goodman and Glenn Mulcaire case in terms of what they did.”

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Asked whether he was questioned again about the case by Mr Cameron or any other Conservatives, he replied, “Not that I can recall.”

Mr Cameron, who later became prime minister, has been heavily criticised for the appointment since Mr Coulson was arrested on allegations of hacking and payments to police at the News of the World. Mr Coulson resigned from his role at Number 10 in January, saying media focus on hacking made it impossible for him to do his job.

Robert Jay, QC, put it to Mr Coulson that Mr Cameron had hired him because of his strong links with Rebekah Brooks, who was then editor of the Sun and was later made chief executive of News International. Mr Jay said politicians sought the support of the Sun because it had the highest number of floating voters in its readership.

“The best entrée for the support of the Sun was Rebekah Brooks?” he asked.

Mr Coulson replied, “I wouldn't describe it in that way.”

He denied Mr Jay's suggestion that his relationship with News International was “the elephant in the room” when he was being interviewed for the job. On whether Mrs Brooks had influenced his getting the job, he said, “Not that I can recall, no.”

But he acknowledged it was a mistake to have overlooked the fact that he held £40,000 in News International shares while he worked for the Conservatives. The explanation was that “my job in opposition was a busy one and my job in government was busier still and I didn't take time to look at my circumstances and I should have”.

Earlier in last night's proceedings, Mr Jay had said that media magnate Rupert Murdoch suffered “selective amnesia” around his meeting with then Prime Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher in 1981.

"If you accept Mr Murdoch's evidence on this topic the point goes no further. If you do not the consequences ... go wide-ranging," Mr Jay said.

He said that inferences might be drawn about Mr Murdoch's true intentions and were "capable of bearing on Mr Murdoch's integrity".

Mr Murdoch gave evidence under oath to the inquiry last week in which he said he had never asked for a favor of any politician but agreed that he was in sympathy with Mrs Thatcher's political views.